Nixa council stalls chicken vote

Woman urged to gather signatures

4:39 PM,
Sep. 10, 2013

Backyard chicken owner Janese Barnhardt (standing) addresses members of the Nixa City Council and city employees at a Sept. 4 meeting. Barnhardt is allowed to keep her hens as the Nixa City Council debates a bill to allow any Nixa resident to keep up to six hens in a coop.

Written by

Rance Burger
RBURGER@NEWS-LEADER.COM

The Nixa City Council put off voting on a bill to allow urban chickens until at least October. Chicken supporters have been encouraged to gather a petition as a soft test of the Nixa Home Rule Charter.

District 3 Councilwoman Darlene Graham says she will vote in favor of allowing people to keep chickens in their backyards.

"They want the opportunity, those that want them are going to be much more responsible pet owners-chicken owners - than a lot of people that have dogs," Graham said. ...